A plausible non-Reagan actor, filmmaker, singer, or entertainer as USA president?
- Thread starter Rooseveltian Whovian
- Start date
Clint Eastwood could be possible. He acted while as mayor of Carmel at end of 80's. Find way his begin political career ten years earlier.
Seek way make amendment which remove demand for natural-born citizenship and you might get Schwarzenegger.
Surviving James Dean might be possible.
Gregory Peck probably is not impossible or even difficult.
Pretty unlikely but surviving Marilyn Monroe. Her had some intrest over political issues.
Seek way make amendment which remove demand for natural-born citizenship and you might get Schwarzenegger.
Surviving James Dean might be possible.
Gregory Peck probably is not impossible or even difficult.
Pretty unlikely but surviving Marilyn Monroe. Her had some intrest over political issues.
Both Gregory Peck and James Garner were sought out as Democratic candidates for Governor of California, Robert Vaughn also considered running for office, and Warren Beatty was very active in the McGovern campaign. I think the California gubernatorial route is the most plausible.
George Murphy is an outside possiblilty, though probably more as a vice president suceeding an incumbent President rather than a presidential candidate himself.
George Murphy is an outside possiblilty, though probably more as a vice president suceeding an incumbent President rather than a presidential candidate himself.
James Stewart (George Baily in Its A Wonderful Life, Congressman Smith in Mr Smith Goes to Washington) was a famous actor who was prolific from the 1930s to the 1960s in many films, and was also a war veteran, fighting in the Second World War as a member of the Air Force and remaining in the reserves for over a decade. He was a staunch republican who supported both Goldwater and Reagan in their presidential bids. Additionally, he was a strong supported of the Vietnam War, believing that "His son did not die in vain." Its possible that Stewart could have tried to run for President on a Vietnam War Hawk in 1968, pledging to seek victory and either A) Losing to Hubert Humphrey, or B) Actually winning and seeing him preside over the last days of the war in South East Asia. If he loses, he might try to stage a come back in 1972, depending on how Humphrey's term in office goes. He could also try to hold off until 1980 and edge out Reagan for the nomination, or even get Reagan to support him, and run on a moralist campaign to "save the soul of America."
An old post of mine on President John Davis Lodge:
***
On several occasions, we have mentioned the possibility of Henry Cabot Lodge, Jr. becoming President, but what about his brother John Davis Lodge?
POD: Robert Taft wins the GOP presidential nomination in 1952. (He came close enough to defeating Eisenhower to make this plausible. Anyway, if necessary, you can have Ike decide not to run, or die in an accident, etc. In that event, Taft will certainly be the favorite to win the GOP nomination.) Taft realizes that to win in November he will have to conciliate the Eastern Establishment wing of the GOP. So he chooses a member of one of that wing's most prominent families--Connecticut Governor John Davis Lodge.
Why John Davis instead of Henry Cabot? Because Taft very much wants a GOP majority in the Senate, and that may be hard to get without the GOP retaining HCL's Massachusetts seat. True, HCL faces a tough battle against John F. Kennedy, but at least HCL as incumbent has a reasonable chance, which probably no other Massachusetts GOP Senate candidate would have against JFK in 1952. Besides, precisely because JDL is somewhat less well-known than his brother, he will offend Taft's core supporters less.
It is likely, though not certain, that Taft goes on to defeat Stevenson in November. Yes, Taft lacks Ike's charisma, and yes, his (somewhat exaggerated) reputation as an isolationist and opponent of some popular government programs will hurt him. But dissatisfaction with the Democrats over Korea, Communism, and Corruption is probably enough to elect Taft, though by nothing like Ike's OTL margin of victory.
Let us assume that President Taft dies of cancer (as Senator Taft did in OTL) in 1953, and Vice President John Davis Lodge becomes President. Note that this answers a challenge we have sometimes discussed: finding a pre-Reagan actor who could have become President. For John Davis Lodge was not only a lawyer and politician but an actor: he "became affiliated with the motion-picture industry and the theater 1933-1942, appearing in movies such as Little Women, The Scarlet Empress, and The Little Colonel." http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Davis_Lodge
See also the selected filmography at http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0517099/bio?ref_=nm_ov_bio_sm
Incidentally, JDL's wife was the Italian dancer/actress Francesca Braggiotti. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Francesca_Braggiotti I suppose that in the 1950's some people might still frown on a foreign-born (and presumably Catholic?) First Lady, especially one who had been a dancer and actress. (Gerald Ford, running for Congress in 1948, worried that his upcoming marriage to a former Martha Graham dancer might scandalize Dutch Calvinist voters in Grand Rapids.) But on the whole, I think she'll be a political plus for her husband, especially among Italian-Americans. She certainly seems to have been a popular First Lady in Connecticut. (To quote the IMDB biography of Lodge, "His wife, Francesca, proved to be the most active First Lady in Connecticut history, opening the governor's mansion to the public. She served as a patron of the arts, promoting concerts and theater and serving as a founding member of the American Shakespeare Festival in Stratford, Connecticut." Incidentally, she campaigned in Massachusetts in 1952 for her brother-in-law's Senate re-election. He didn't quite win, of course, but presumably she helped him at least a little bit among Italian-American voters. And back in 1948 she had been part of a drive to get Italian-Americans to write their relatives in Italy to urge them not to vote for the Communist/Nenni Socialist left-wing bloc. So she had considerable political experience.)
***
On several occasions, we have mentioned the possibility of Henry Cabot Lodge, Jr. becoming President, but what about his brother John Davis Lodge?
POD: Robert Taft wins the GOP presidential nomination in 1952. (He came close enough to defeating Eisenhower to make this plausible. Anyway, if necessary, you can have Ike decide not to run, or die in an accident, etc. In that event, Taft will certainly be the favorite to win the GOP nomination.) Taft realizes that to win in November he will have to conciliate the Eastern Establishment wing of the GOP. So he chooses a member of one of that wing's most prominent families--Connecticut Governor John Davis Lodge.
Why John Davis instead of Henry Cabot? Because Taft very much wants a GOP majority in the Senate, and that may be hard to get without the GOP retaining HCL's Massachusetts seat. True, HCL faces a tough battle against John F. Kennedy, but at least HCL as incumbent has a reasonable chance, which probably no other Massachusetts GOP Senate candidate would have against JFK in 1952. Besides, precisely because JDL is somewhat less well-known than his brother, he will offend Taft's core supporters less.
It is likely, though not certain, that Taft goes on to defeat Stevenson in November. Yes, Taft lacks Ike's charisma, and yes, his (somewhat exaggerated) reputation as an isolationist and opponent of some popular government programs will hurt him. But dissatisfaction with the Democrats over Korea, Communism, and Corruption is probably enough to elect Taft, though by nothing like Ike's OTL margin of victory.
Let us assume that President Taft dies of cancer (as Senator Taft did in OTL) in 1953, and Vice President John Davis Lodge becomes President. Note that this answers a challenge we have sometimes discussed: finding a pre-Reagan actor who could have become President. For John Davis Lodge was not only a lawyer and politician but an actor: he "became affiliated with the motion-picture industry and the theater 1933-1942, appearing in movies such as Little Women, The Scarlet Empress, and The Little Colonel." http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Davis_Lodge
See also the selected filmography at http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0517099/bio?ref_=nm_ov_bio_sm
Incidentally, JDL's wife was the Italian dancer/actress Francesca Braggiotti. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Francesca_Braggiotti I suppose that in the 1950's some people might still frown on a foreign-born (and presumably Catholic?) First Lady, especially one who had been a dancer and actress. (Gerald Ford, running for Congress in 1948, worried that his upcoming marriage to a former Martha Graham dancer might scandalize Dutch Calvinist voters in Grand Rapids.) But on the whole, I think she'll be a political plus for her husband, especially among Italian-Americans. She certainly seems to have been a popular First Lady in Connecticut. (To quote the IMDB biography of Lodge, "His wife, Francesca, proved to be the most active First Lady in Connecticut history, opening the governor's mansion to the public. She served as a patron of the arts, promoting concerts and theater and serving as a founding member of the American Shakespeare Festival in Stratford, Connecticut." Incidentally, she campaigned in Massachusetts in 1952 for her brother-in-law's Senate re-election. He didn't quite win, of course, but presumably she helped him at least a little bit among Italian-American voters. And back in 1948 she had been part of a drive to get Italian-Americans to write their relatives in Italy to urge them not to vote for the Communist/Nenni Socialist left-wing bloc. So she had considerable political experience.)
Do athletes count? Also, I heard that Stallone considered getting into politics before.
Remember it is not necessarily competance that makes it as President first, it is more a popularity contest in some cases depending on who is running. In some of the cases they were both in the War and were in War movies for that aspect or in movies that made them look good in political role.
Henry Fonda
Paul Newman
Robert Redford
John Wayne
Jimmy Stewart
Gregory Peck
Alan Alda
Fred Astaire
Warren Beatty
Marlon Brando
Walter Brennan
Jeff Chandler
Kirk Douglas
Jackie Gleason
Henry Fonda
Paul Newman
Robert Redford
John Wayne
Jimmy Stewart
Gregory Peck
Alan Alda
Fred Astaire
Warren Beatty
Marlon Brando
Walter Brennan
Jeff Chandler
Kirk Douglas
Jackie Gleason
In the early 30s I can see Will Rogers being talked into running for President. He was very popular and was very vocal about do-nothing politicians which would set him up well as a challenger to unseat Hoover. By butterflying away the Lindbergh baby kidnapping, that would keep Charles in the US for the 30s rather than in Europe. This would let him be more active in the US as well as keep him being seen as pro-fascist when he comes out as anti-war. I can easily see him teaming up with his good friend Will for the VP role. It could be a very interesting term in office with them focusing on taking care of the common man as well as developing American air industry and infrastructure.
OTL. Trump hosted the apprentice and even appeared on the WWE(WWF at the time) for pro wrestler stuff once or twice.
WanderingProfessor
Banned
Oprah Winfrey is a highly popular television host and actress who is staunchly Democratic. If she has the gall, she could be a good candidate for the Democrats and serve as the celebrity candidate similar what Donald Trump is to the Republicans in OTL.
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Rooseveltian Whovian
Banned
My thread is not just actors - i'm also asking for possible candidates who are *film makers* (producers, directors etc.), *singers* (think any genre of singer: Glenn Miller, John Denver, Billy Joel) , and*general entertainers*.
marktaha
Banned
Brennan too far Right, Astaire apolitical Chandler died too young How about Crosby or Sinatra?
How about Sonny Bono? He did become a politician IOTL, after all.
It shouldn't be too difficult to butterfly his death (in a skiing accident).
en.wikipedia.org
It shouldn't be too difficult to butterfly his death (in a skiing accident).
Sonny Bono - Wikipedia
Does Walt Disney count? Because I kind of want to see a President Disney timeline that isn't a dystopia.
Hey A world of laughter is only Dystopia by own biases, yes Walter blew it up the little rock nine but wasn't by evilness but a mistake, but he was an incredible cold warrior...so it balanced out